From a consumer's perspective, the logistics of moving perishable food and produce across the country is pretty simple. After all, how much is there to putting frozen merchandise on a refrigerated truck and transporting it from farm to retail outlet? Like most seemingly simple tasks, the business of shipping perishable items on refrigerated trucks is a lot more complicated than it would appear. In fact, this entire logistics chain relies on the ability of refrigerated freight trucks and cold storage containers to work reliably no matter what the temperature outside. And if you've ever tried to keep the ice in you cooler fresh on a long car trip, you know what a challenging task truckers and couriers are facing. If you're interested in learning more about this business, here are some terms you should be familiar with.

Intermodal Transport - Most of us know them as cargo containers, but the official term is intermodal transport. These well designed containers can be easily moved from, and shipped on, cargo ships, trains and trucks.

Just In Time Shipping - Because produce, especially organic produce, has a relatively short shelf life, farmers must time their deliveries to retailers with surgical precision. When a courier delivers fruit or vegetables to a store, they should be not quite ripe, so that consumers get maximum enjoyment from them.

Reefer - Any truck or container with a self-contained cooling system for freight. The temperature in refrigerated trucks is carefully monitored because ice can damage most produce.

Cold Chain - This is a supply chain that is temperature controlled. It help prolong the shelf lift of foods, medical drugs, seafood and a large assortment of other products.

When perishable items need to be transported over long distances, it's imperative that they are kept cold. This is where refrigerated trucking services come into play. Refrigerated trucks, large and small, keep products such as food cold or frozen during transport. Fresh meats, frozen vegetables, beverages, and other goods can be kept at a certain low temperature to maintain their quality.
Also used for temporary food storage, these temp control trucks are necessary for any company looking to transport goods, commercial merchandise, and cargo from one place to another. These trucks often have to travel cross country, so refrigerated trucking companies provide a valuable service. Equipment used can include vans, trucks, flatbeds, trailers, and carriers.
Refrigerated trucks also haul and store heavy loads. Some are meant for foods and beverages such as cold milk, while others are meant for temp controlled pharmaceuticals. Still others are used for shipment of hazardous materials that must maintain a certain temperature. Refrigerated trucking companies for cargo transport are necessary in many industries, from restaurant to medical industries.
Some refrigerated trucks operate on a smaller scale and deliver groceries locally to customers. Other trucks operate on a national or even global scale, delivering and storing goods for commercial and industrial companies. As networks of roadways get more and more diverse and far reaching over the years, so do the need for companies to be able to keep their perishable goods and freight cold over the long haul. Refrigerated trucking is an important aspect of these operations, and are utilized by many different companies on a daily basis.
Customers can seek out refrigerated trucking services over the Internet, in the phone book, or by networking.